A U.S. Border Patrol officer body searches an undocumented immigrant after he illegally crossed the U.S.-Mexico border and was caught on December 7, 2015 near Rio Grande City, Texas. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Poll: Nearly Half Of Canadians Want Illegal Immigrants Deported

Nearly half of Canadians want more illegal immigrants deported from their country, in part because of safety concerns, a March survey found.

Some 48 percent of Canadians said they support “increasing the deportation of people living in Canada illegally,” in the Reuters/Ipsos survey, and nearly half said those crossing into their country from the U.S. should be sent back. The numbers in support of stronger immigration enforcement are similar to those in the U.S., where half the adults surveyed in a separate poll also said they want more illegal immigrants deported.

Other Canadians told Reuters it’s one thing to welcome immigrants who come legally, but another matter when they decide to put themselves at the front of the line and enter illegally.

“There are so many people in the word who want to come in and go through the right channels,” Greg Janzen, a leader of a border municipality that has dealt with hundreds of illegal crossers told Reuters. “That’s what’s pissing most people off. These guys are jumping the border.”

The executive director of Canadian Council for Refugees, Janet Dench, added: “Refugees are much more welcomed when we have gone and selected them ourselves as a country, as opposed to refugees who have chosen us.”

Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected].